Bob Dylan has been thrust back into the mainstream in recent months with the release of the hit movie A Complete Unknown, and intended or not, now's a good time to bring forth various takes on his music.
Enter Olympia, Washington-based artist Jemmy Joe's collection of Bob Dylan covers, Song and Dance Man, which draws from the punk tradition of rejecting categorization to create a diverse, multi-genre experience. Also of note, he does not opt for the beaten-to-death mainstream hits of Dylan, but rather the more obscure numbers.
Joe's goal of sonic diversity is on full display in the album, seen in the wide array of genres represented throughout, from synth-pop to country to jazz. A punk at heart, he first fell in love with music he describes as "punks making non-punk music." He carries this ethos into his collection of covers, the wide varieties of influences tinted by his punk roots. In addition to his own vast contributions to the collection, local artists in the Olympia area lent their voices and instruments to the collection.
The third track, "Mississippi," which is off of Dylan's 2001 album Love and Theft, explores different synthesized sounds, dominated by a plucky synth arpeggio and string synthesizer, underscored by a thumping bass guitar. The medium-tempo beat lends the track a momentum without sacrificing the leisure with which the song moves. Opening with the line "Every step of the way we walk the line," the tempo of both the new and original songs sheds light on possible musical interpretations of the lyrics.
In a stark genre shift, "Every Grain Of Sand," which is off of 1981's Shot of Love, emulates a classic country track, complete with swing and lilting vocals, courtesy of fellow musicians Bitterbrush. Infusing the slow pulse of Dylan's version with movement and somehow even more twang, Joe breathes new life into the track. The tasteful harmonies tenderly explore the meaning held "in every grain of sand."
Another notable track, "Life Is Hard," once again trades the expected genre for a new one. The track follows a 50s style jazz number, focused around gentle guitar. The track switches between electric and acoustic to achieve a fascinating variety of texture. Dylan's original plodding swing is transformed into a stripped back lament, reflecting on a life "without you near me." It's off of his 2009 album, Together Through Life.
Returning to the synthesizer, "What Good Am I?" explores processed vocals, run through a vocoder, and accompaniment reminiscent of a twinkling music box. The relaxed beat changes the track from a melancholic contemplation to an exploratory dialogue. Questions like "If I shut myself off so I can't hear you cry, / What good am I?" are placed within a new, digital context, where shutting oneself off explores the double meaning between man and machine. This track is off of Dylan's 26th studio album, 1989's Oh Mercy.
Jemmy Joe and his cast of talented Olympia musicians have no plans to stop sharing their unique music with the world, and his visionary reinterpretations of Bob Dylan's tracks are just another chapter.
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